lighthouse
Americannoun
-
lighthouses
plural
-
a tower or other structure displaying or flashing a very bright light for the guidance of ships in avoiding dangerous areas, in following certain routes, etc.
-
either of two cylindrical metal towers placed forward on the forecastle of the main deck of a sailing ship, to house the port and starboard running lights.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of lighthouse
Explanation
A lighthouse is a building with a warning light that helps boats to navigate safely, especially when it's dark or foggy. Maine is famous for its many lighthouses. Most lighthouses consist of a narrow tower, with a rotating or flashing light at the top, located near the coast. Before the invention of the lighthouse, fires were lit on hillsides to help captains guide their ships, and after permanent ports were built in coastal areas, permanent lighthouses were constructed. These warned sailors of obstacles at sea, rocky coastlines, and harbor entrances — and their designs grew more complex through the 18th century.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
People in "Port Devine" - with its multi-coloured houses, a lighthouse and spectacular coastal views - have been experiencing the effects for five years now.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Bill Green offered to take me out on his boat and show me a cool lighthouse.
From Slate ● Jun. 16, 2026
His father was a lighthouse keeper, living in solitude on the Greek island of Kandelioussa for 16 years before entering a family-arranged marriage with his mother.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2026
This makes the system behave like a flashing cosmic lighthouse.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 11, 2026
We clambered into it and Emma handed me an oar and we both started paddling, headed toward the lighthouse.
From "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs
"After many years, I found myself navigating manually again, searching for lighthouses to make sure we stayed on course," Islam said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026
For those wanting to stay somewhere away from the norm, there are choices around the UK ranging from lighthouses and windmills to prison cells and tree houses.
From BBC ● Apr. 14, 2026
The retired river-fleet captain joined the class about a year ago and says he likes making miniature lighthouses because they remind him of his former life on the river.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 29, 2025
“There’s not many of us left that did lighthouses or lifeboat stations, guys — mostly guys, almost exclusively — like me.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2025
Beams from European lighthouses swept the nighttime horizon.
From "Secrets at Sea" by Richard Peck
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
